In the spirit of summer and warm weather destinations, travel is on my mind… and my Instagram feed. Whether you hop in the car for a local road trip or head to the airport for a far away destination, travel has a special way of refreshing your mind and spirit. There’s something about taking a fresh, deep breath when you arrive to your destination. You’ve stepped outside of your everyday life and into a place where you can be free to do (or not do) what you want, to relax, to enjoy, to recharge. There are so many mental health benefits of traveling, from reducing stress to sparking creativity. But as much as travel can uplift us, it isn’t always the cure-all answer we might think we need. Too much of it, or the wrong kind, can sometimes lead to burnout, loneliness, or exhaustion.
In this post, I’ll share 7 powerful ways that traveling can boost your mental wellbeing and 3 unexpected drawbacks to watch out for, so you can travel with intention and balance.
7 Mental Health Benefits of Traveling
1. Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Work deadlines? Chores to do? They can wait! Traveling lets you step away from daily pressures and routines that can wear you down. New surroundings, especially around nature, can lower stress hormones like cortisol and help calm your nervous system. Even planning a trip can give your mind a positive focus to look forward to and help you feel less rigid about daily stressors leading up to it.
2. Boosts Creativity
When you travel outside of your normal routine, you are stepping outside of your comfort zone and there is bound to be something new! Whether you learn about a new culture, try different food, or see the beauty of the world in a new way through sight seeing, you are triggering new and exciting pathways within your brain. Being exposed to new things can help you to think more creatively, explore new ways of solving problems, and learn different perspectives that you can bring to both your personal and professional life. Just like you might feel refreshed during a trip, so does your imagination.
3. Improves Mood and Happiness
Remember those happy chemicals? Well, exploring new places is another way to triggers these. The excitement of discovering a new place, wandering outdoors, or even watching the sun set in a different sky can spark happiness on a deep, neurological level. New experiences like these stimulate the release of dopamine and serotonin, boosting your emotional wellbeing in a positive way. Studies have even shown that the anticipation and planning for an upcoming trip can boost your mood in itself.
4. Increases Self-Confidence
If you’ve ever been somewhere unfamiliar before, you know how easy it is to feel like a fish out of water. Where navigating directions was once second nature, now takes second guessing every turn. But when you make it at the end? You feel a strong sense of accomplishment. Whether you’re finding your way through a new city, communicating in a different language, or plotting out a thoughtful itinerary with no idea how it will turn out, navigating a new destination is no easy feat. But when you’ve done it and had a great trip, you can bring that newfound confidence and self-esteem back home with you.
5. Influences Perspective
Travel has a way of shifting your perspective in the best possible way. Being in a new environment, whether it’s a quiet mountain village or a bustling foreign city, reminds you how vast the world really is. Taking a break from your normal stressors to experience somewhere new can foster a greater appreciation for the little things: your morning routine, the comfort of home, or even the stability of your job that made the trip possible. You might also feel a strong sense of gratitude and mindfulness for where you are, like having the chance to sit down at a cafe and truly enjoy a cup of coffee.
6. Strengthens Social Connections
Maybe you’re traveling with a close friend or family, maybe it’s a romantic getaway with your partner, or maybe you’ve decided to head out solo. One of the great things about travel is that regardless of who you’re with, there will be plenty of opportunities to share moments of connection with yourself or others. If you’re traveling alone, you can embrace the opportunity to practice meditation and look inward. But you aren’t limited to that! Through stepping outside of their comfort zone, solo travelers are actually likely to return from their trips with better communication skills and a stronger ability to naturally engage with new people.
7. Allows Time for Mindfulness and Reflection
Last but definitely not least, taking time to be in a new and exciting environment encourages you to slow down and be present. Through taking a break from your constantly running to-do list, you can focus on reconnecting with others, but also with yourself. Traveling creates time to do things like reflect through journaling, center your thoughts through meditation, and reconnect with your body through gentle movement. This time spent reconnecting with yourself will enhance your mental health both during and beyond your time at your destination.
3 Unexpected Drawbacks of Traveling
1. Travel Exhaustion
While travel can be an amazing way to rest and replenish, certain aspects of it can do the opposite to your mind and body. Long and sleepless flights, stressful packing lists, overpacked itineraries, and the financial piece of it all can leave you feeling mentally drained.
To combat this, try to plan ahead on these aspects of your trips wherever possible. While a sleepless flight might be unavoidable to some, planning a lowkey day upon arrival to catch up on rest is a choice that you can make. If an upcoming trip is placing a burden on your wallet, try seeing where you can cut back on spending for a few months leading up to it so you can enjoy your time away stress free.
2. Disruption of Routine and Stability
Having a consistent routine can be such a key piece of mood and mental health regulation. For example, you might find that working out most days is important for you to feel good. But when you travel frequently, the missed workouts start to stack up and the endorphins you’re used to start to diminish. Other things like irregular sleep, changed dietary habits, and even the inconvenience of living out of a suitcase can negatively impact your emotional balance.
To help alleviate the distress from a shifted routine, try incorporating your normal habits where possible during your trip. If you are someone who needs 8 hours of sleep, set yourself up for success ahead of time by making sure there’s space for that within your plans. If you’re stressed about constant packing and unpacking, block your calendar and dedicate a day for when you return to getting organized.
3. Feelings of Isolation
As fun and exciting as travel can be, there are moments that can feel a little… quiet. When you’re away from your usual environment and support system, it’s normal to feel disconnected. Sometimes this disconnection is a good thing, where you get to totally recharge and have some “me” time. Other times, it can feel lonely. For solo travel, there might be moments where you crave deeper and more familiar connections. With a group, there might be something going on at home that you don’t get to join.
Recognizing these feelings of loneliness is important, so you can be your own best friend in giving yourself what you need. This can be anything from creating conversation with your morning barista, to checking in on friends from home, to signing up for a group class or hobby. There are no mistakes in learning about your emotions and what you’re feeling, where you are truly being mindful and aspiring to be your best self.
Discovering the Mental Health Benefits of Traveling
Like most things, travel is all about how you use it. It can lift your mood, shift your mindset, and reconnect you with yourself and others. It can also challenge your routines, bring moments of discomfort, and remind you just how important rest and stability really are.
If you’ve been craving a change of pace, I hope this post encourages you to take that trip with intention. And if you’re someone who travels often, maybe it’s a gentle reminder to check in with yourself on how you’re feeling and whether you’re getting enough rest. However far you go (or don’t go), remember that your mental health is a priority. Safe travels!